Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	earth_n	lord_n	prayer_n	8,302	5	6.0570	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89892	England's royal stone at the head of the corner, through the wonderful working of almighty God. Set forth in a sermon preached in the Cathedral church at Gloucester, the 28th day of June, being a day of publick and solemn thanksgiving for His Majesties happy restauration. By Joh. Nelme, M.A. and Pastor of S. Michaels in the said city.	Nelme, John, b. 1618 or 19.	1660 (1660)	Wing N415; Thomason E1034_9; ESTC R209037	19,061	28

know lost his Kingdom but Manasseh recovered it again by true humiliation and unfeigned prayer to God And David by his prayers did not onely do himself good but the Kingdom too He out-prayed 2 Sam. 15. 31. Absalom's conspiracy and Achitophel's policy and the Confusions that befel his Kingdom by their means He prayed away the three years famine that fell upon his 2 Sam. 21. 1 Land because of the Gibeonites whom Saul had slain contrary to the League that Joshua had entred into with them He prayed a stop to the pestilence that raged among his 2 Sam. 24. 17. people A praying King is as pious to himself so profitable to 2 King 19. 19 35. all his Subjects Hezekiah prayed 185000 Assyrians dead in one night Jehoshaphat had a victory over the Moabites 2 Chro. 20. 6 22. Ammonites and them of Mount Seir brought in upon the wings of his prayers They are marvellous things that praying Kings may do with God I mind you not of this for nothing Beloved For I do it to aggravate the mercy of this day that God hath set a King of Prayers over us not onely passively so as one whose happiness and restauration hath been the subject of the prayers of Gods people for many years but also actively so as one who in his exile is famed by such as knew his Conversation for frequent and constant converse with God in this duty which I must needs say is a promising Omen of a great deal of happiness to our Land in his return And now that the tribute of praise is by his Majesties Proclamation to be returned to God for this mercy this day not onely by himself but by all his people This may serve in the second place to teach you the justifiableness and the needfulness of this Duty His Majesty doth but write after Davids Copy in it and the Copy of the good Kings of Judah And we do but keep up the ancient custome of the Church and people of God in so doing Our Precedents for this practise are unquestionably authentick Further yet it is good reason We should be praising God For God hath heard Vs and is become Our salvation As He hath granted the desires of the Kings heart and the request of the Kings lips so hath he granted the desires of his peoples hearts and the requests of his peoples lips I dare say whole Armies of Prayers have by Gods people though not so publickly as might be wished through the iniquitie of the times been dispatched from earth to heaven about this very mercy that we are making mention of before the Lord this day And if it becomes His Majesty to second the Returns of His prayers with returns of praise it surely behoves Vs to second the returns of Our prayers for him with returns of praises for him Besides this is no other then a Gospel-Duty We are commanded to make Thanksgivings to God for Kings and 1 Tim. 2. 1. all in authority as well as to make Supplications and intercessions for them Much more must we make thanksgivings for them when they are bestowed on us by way of return to our supplications and intercessions for them God the King of kings hath enjoyned us hereunto as well as his Vicegerent upon earth It is Gods commandment as well as the Kings commandment that we are called to obey this day And for further satisfaction consider It is a well-grounded and every way a well-warranted Duty which a Christian may go about without doubting Here be no snares in it to entangle the consciences of men some such as we have had ere now when the throne of iniquity was up and mischief established by a Law and Englands miseries were by a Law to be reputed and taken for Englands mercies and through the insolence of prospering iniquity men were forced to miserable shifts to preserve their peace There is nothing of a puzzling nature here The Mercy that we have before us is a plain mercy may it be but a sanctified mercy I shall venture to prefer it before any temporal mercy that England ever yet received For which is another argument to quicken you to this days Duty consider God is become our Salvation in becoming Salvation to our King It is a salvation of common concernment this For in delivering him from the plots and conspiracies that were laid against his Person and Crowns and settling him in the throne over us he hath First saved us from all the mischiefs that did and must of necessity accompany an enforced change of Government From the mischiefs of Anarchy Vsurpation Democracy and which is worst of all of the Arbitrary power of the Sword Secondly by this means God hath saved unto us our right to the best of Governments the Honour and Freedom of our Parliaments which can never be preserved but by the Union of the Royal Head to that Honourable Body Once more God by this means hath saved us from the violence that was offered to our Laws and Liberties and Properties Before men could scarce say what was Law Our learned Lawyers were puzzled what to pronounce for Law What men would have pass for Law they durst not subscribe What was Law indeed they durst not utter Who were the Keepers of our Liberties none could tell but the general out-cry was that they were kept from them not for them While some might do what they would few could do what they should And such Confusion befel many Families through the unjust and enforced alienation from them of what was properly their own as is unspeakable From all these mischiefs we trust the Lord hath now deliver'd us in his Majesties Return But not to stay upon these general Arguments to quicken you to this duty give me leave now to take up the particular account which the Royal Psalmodist in the Text gives of this Resolution of his and to see whether that will not fit our case too I will praise thee saith he for the stone which the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner Which words are spoken proverbially by way of allusion to the practice of foolish builders who though they have a stone ready at hand every way fitted for the most useful and eminent place in the building do yet cast it by among the rubbish as useless and unserviceable and it may be mar all the building for want of that stone until better builders come in place and correct their folly and set that very stone at the head of the corner the chiefest place in the building This is the allusion The meaning of it as applicable to King David the Type is briefly this David was fitted of God every way to succeed Saul in the Kingdom there was not such a man again to be found for Israel's turn as David was It was in love to Israel that God had anointed David for this service He had squared and framed and fitted him so that there was not a

1 2. seqq his advantage in the subjection of the hearts of all Israel to him and in the settlement of him in the dominion overthem And this is the constant Language of good Kings whoever else be the instruments or whatever else be the means of bringing them to their Crowns The Queen of Sheba's 1 Kin. 10. 9 Language to Solomon was The Lord thy God delighted in thee to set thee on the throne of Israel And Solomon himself was not a whit behind her in this acknowledgement 2 Chro. 1. 8 Thou O God hast shewed great mercy unto David my father and hast made me to reign in his stead Yea Cyrus the King 2 Chro 36. ult of Persia had as much Religion as this came to The kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me None but such a one as the proud Assyrian will dare to Isai 10. 13. say By the strength of my hand I have done this or that and by my wisdom for I am prudent The proud Ax boastead it self against him that hewed with it and the presumptuous Saw against him that shook it Nebuchadnezzar took too much upon him when he vaunted on that Dan. 4. 30. manner Is not this great Babylon that I have built by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty Not a word was there of his being beholding to God in all that speech But God presently taught him by sad experience that he was wholly beholding to him for his Kingdom and that it was in his hand both to give it to him and to take it from him It was a close rebuke which God once gave unto the Prince of Tyrus for his sacrilegious pride his heart was lifted up and he said of himself that he was a god and sate in the seat of God But God said he would make him know that he was a man for he would bring strangers even the terrible of the Nations upon him with drawn swords against him And them saith God in an holy Sarcasm Wilt thou yet say before him that Ezek 28. 9. slayeth thee I am God But thou shalt be a man and no God in the hand of him that slayeth thee And lest he should mistake himself as if he had set himself in that glorious state for which the Princes of Tyrus were famous in the world as being like a tree planted in the garden of God wanting nothing that Nature or Art could furnish him V. 14. withal God tells him plainly I have set thee so Though he were for his Royal Dignity a glorious Creature yet was he so by Gods Creation and not his own God keeps this to himself as his Royal Prerogative By me Kings Prov. 8. 15. reign and Princes decree justice They could neither have Joh. 19. 11. nor exercise any power were it not given them from above It is to God really that even Kings and Princes as great as they are in the earth are beholding for their deliverances settlements and establishments in their Kingdoms Much might be learnt from hence that I cannot now insist on The Kings and Princes of the earth might be advised from hence to be so wise as to own honour and serve this their Deliverer Setler and Establisher to keep their Kingdoms for God and lay out all their power to keep their Kingdoms in subjection to God to execute judgement and justice according to the will of God to devote themselves their power their lives their all to the magnifying or making his Name great in their Kingdoms who hath been their Saviour Settler and Establisher in so great power under him over their people Davids resolution in the 101 Psalm when he came to the Crown is a most excellent pattern for all the Kings and Princes of the earth in this respect Read the Psalm throughout But I need not dwell upon this being abundantly prevented by the thankful Expressions of our Soveraign to God for his happy restauration attributing his Deliverances and Return to and settlement in his Kingdom solely to him and his pious Resolutions and Professions to study to serve and honour that God who hath heard his Prayers and is become his salvation VVhich leads me to the third Note observable from the words viz. That Prayers and Praises are Duties wherein even Kings 3 Note themselves are bound to wait upon God Let David be the pattern He was a praying and a praise-returning King I will praise thee for thou hast heard me He had been praying it should seem and crying to God and now he was resolved upon praysing him In the time of his Exile Prayer was the work that he devoted himself to Praise was the work that he vowed to perform whenever God should set him at liberty Therefore in his Exile he prayeth Hold not thy peace O God of Pal. 109. 1 2 3 4. my praise This was his practise whilst the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful were opened against him and they spake against him with a lying tongue whilst they compassed him about with words of hatred and fought against him without a cause whilst for his love to them they were adversaries to him he gave himself unto prayer But now that God had heard his prayer and all succeeded to his hearts content you have his mouth filled with thanksgivings calling all the people to joyn with him in offering up these Eucharisti●●● Devotions to the God of his mercies Though a King yet he did not count these pieces of piety too lowe for him This point is much strengthned by the former For if even they are and must be beholding to God for their deliverances settlements and establishments in their Kingdoms then it is but fit that even they should wait upon God in their duties praying to him for the mercies they want and praising him for those which they have recovered by the prevalency of importunate prayers to the God of their salvation and calling upon all their Subjects to joyn with them in so doing This was not onely King Davids practise but the practise of all the good Kings of Judah as may be seen in the examples of Jehoshaphat and 2 Chro. 20 2 Chro 29 Hezekiah All that I shall learn you from hence is First to acquaint you that it is good news to a people when the Kings whom the Lord hath set over them are praying and praise-returning Kings It is you see the Character and practise of Gods Davids such as are Kings after Gods own heart to pay these just tributes to the Divine Majesty to whom they are beholding for their Crowns and Scepters It is not onely a good example of piety in them for others to walk by but it is a practise that promiseth much of happiness not onely to their royal persons but to their Kingdoms too A praying King will have the better of 2Chro 33. 13. it first or last Manasseh you

our warfare is accomplished that our swords are turning into plowshares and our spears into p●uning hooks This must needs be the Lords doing and it is marveious in our eyes The second thing observable in the peoples part is their acclamations to the happiness of that dayes Festival This is the day which the Lord hath made God makes every day But he makes ●o●e dayes more notable then others for his singular mercies in them which onely is the meaning of this Expression That day of Davids Instauration was such a notable day in Israel And on the like account surely the 29th day of May should have a golden Character in our K●lendars for his Majesties happy Restauration And this day should be reckoned for a good day because of the Opportunity which the King and Kingdom have joyntly to celebrate the Memorials thereof The thi●d thing observable in the peoples part is their hearty acceptation of the Kings Royal invitation to that days duty We will rejoyce and be glad in it Days of thanksgi●ing for such mercies as these should be days of rejoycing and gladness When King Joash was restored to his Crown by means of his Aunt Jehosheba who had kept him from being murdered with the rest of the Seed Royal by Athalia the text saith All the people of the land rejoyced 2 King 11. 20. ●t is on all hands agreed that such a time as this is a time of joy and gladness Onely let me beseech you to see your rejoycing be with sobriety not breaking out into sinful intemperance to the dishonor of him who hath wrought these things for you Let your rejoycing be a rejoycing in the Lord such as becometh saints who mind nothing more then the bringing honour to God by the joy which they express for mercies of any kind which they receive from God And last of all see that your joy and gladness for this dayes mercie be seconded with Charity to the Poor Make the bellies of the poor to rejoyce with you that their loins may bless you and that they may be able to call it a good day to them as well as to their King and those of greater ability The last thing observable in the peoples part is their humble hearty and seasonable supplications to God for the prosperity of the King and Kingdom Each man is brought in making this his prayer O Lord I besecch thee there 's the humility of it and this repeated again Save I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send prosperity there 's the heartiness of it The words may be rendered I beseech thee save I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send prosperity I beseech thee The word which is here rendred now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the T. being sometimes of the same force with the other that is rendered I beseech thee But take it as it is here fitly rendered Save now prosper now there 's the seasonableness of it With such humble hearty and earnest supplications for the King and Kingdom let every one of us follow the Lord this day and henceforwards Let every one of us have his Hosanna up this day as well as his Hallelujah In the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most humble and earnest manner let us ply the throne of grace for the continuance and improvement of this blessing to us Now now is the time to strike in with God Save now I beseech thee O Lord I beseech thee prosper now We could not look that God should answer our prayers in this kind before The nation was set upon a wrong bottom We could not look then that God should hear us so long as we were so much out of the way Now that the Lord settled the Kingdom upon Foundations of righteousness again we may more rationally expect better success in our prayers for peace and truth and salvation to our King and Kingdom And therefore Now if ever follow the Lord with continual prayers for a blessing upon the King Church and State that these prosperous beginnings may have good proceedings and an happy conclusion that the hearts of none may be made sad but all may rejoyce in this days mercy Now if ever ply the King of Heaven with your prayers that this may be a lasting settlement improved by his Majesty and the whole Kingdom to the honour of Gods name the securing of the purity and power of Religion and the happy concord and unity of all that fear the Lo●d● and to this let all the people say Amen FINIS